The Times-PicayuneA New Orleans nonprofit and seven other community organizations around the United States sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday (Aug. 24) for failing to update its 15-year-old standards about what constitutes safe levels of lead-based paint and lead dust. The suit contends that the EPA has yet to institute new lead hazard standards despite a growing body of scientific research suggesting its current standards are outdated.READ MORE

Building-Products.comResidential window shipments increased 0.2 percent in 2015 with 57.36 million units shipped across the nation, according to a new market study by the Window & Door Manufacturers Association. Looking forward, national growth is expected to increase through 2017 to 4.8 percent before trailing off in 2018 to 1.9 percent.READ MORE

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By Michael J. Berens Slow but steady is the current prognosis for the housing industry. Housing starts are up for the first seven months of the year, but month-to-month gains have remained flat for the past four months. Meanwhile, requests for single-family permits have declined, which could mean fewer new starts in the months ahead. Nonetheless, builders and housing experts expect the industry will continue to experience modest growth in the second half of the year.
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Construction DiveWhat could be objectionable about a rule that includes "fair pay" and "safe workplaces" in its title? Just ask construction industry groups like the Associated General Contractors of America and the Associated Builders and Contractors, which have dubbed the Obama administration's newly signed Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order the "blacklisting" rule.
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Bloomberg
A trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada over softwood lumber is escalating, raising the specter of higher tariffs as officials downplay the likelihood of reaching a deal before an October deadline.
President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed their governments at a June meeting in Ottawa to push forward and reach accord on the issue, long a thorn in relations, while acknowledging "significant differences" remain. READ MORE

The Wall Street Journal via For Construction ProsCompanies and homeowners using federal funds for construction projects in flood-prone areas may soon be facing new requirements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The proposed regulations would require building on higher ground — two feet higher in many cases.READ MORE

The JobsiteA recent report by the World Economic Forum stated that four megatrends are shaping the construction industry:
changes in the market and customer demand;
sustainability and material resilience issues;
society and workforce changes;
and politics and regulations.
The report gave several suggestions for construction companies, the industry as a whole and governments to keep the industry viable in the future. Here are ten things that construction companies should do if they want to survive in the new market.READ MORE